OLEKSANDR USYK CONFIRMS HE WILL FIGHT TYSON FURY AGAIN—BUT ONLY FOR THE UNDISPUTED TITLE
Oleksandr Usyk is ready for Fury 3! Discover his "undisputed" demands and the plans for a record-breaking 2026 fight in America.
Oleksandr Usyk says he's open to a third fight with Tyson Fury, but only if the undisputed title is up for grabs.
These two have had a real rivalry going, with two huge fights in 2024. The first time, Usyk won by decision after a back-and-forth battle, becoming the undisputed champ.
They fought again seven months later, and Usyk won another close one. Soon after, Fury, who's 37, said he was retiring but then changed his mind a few months later.
Fury has wanted a third fight with Usyk for a while, as long as it's in the UK, since their first two fights were in Saudi Arabia. But back in October, Usyk's advisor, Serhii Lapin, seemed to shut down the idea of another fight. Lapin told the Ring, “Theoretically, it’s an interesting option, but for whom? If boxing fans truly support it, then maybe. I think that chapter is already closed.”
In a recent interview, Usyk, who just turned 39, said he plans to keep fighting for two more years and is aiming for a big 2026 in the ring. Even though he didn't seem interested in a third fight with Fury before, he's now open to it, as long as the undisputed title is on the line. He said, Why not, but only if it’s a fight for the undisputed status again.
Fury has been training in Thailand recently to get ready for a fight. He wants to have a warm-up fight before the end of April, leading up to a possible big fight in the summer. In a video on Instagram, Fury got his fans excited by hinting at a big announcement about his return. He said, “Just done a brutal session here. Second session of the day; I’m not gonna lie, that was tough.
“Did a good 12 rounds in the gym; it was about 34-35 degrees, sweating alive! I’ve got my electrolytes here to get all the goodness back in my body after sweating it all out. It’s been a really positive day again. I suppose when you wake up at 30 degrees every day, it’s definitely going to be positive.
“I’m very motivated, very happy, and I’m in a good place mentally, physically and emotionally. Just working on stuff nice and steady. The return of the Mac is coming. Can’t wait for a beautiful year.” He captioned the footage: “Work update 2026, let’s go. Massive announcement incoming.”
But Fury might have to wait for his chance at Usyk. Usyk has also said he's interested in fighting Deontay Wilder, possibly in front of a record-breaking crowd. Having already beaten Fury and Anthony Joshua, Usyk wants to add Wilder to his list of wins.
First of all, it's the USA—I want to box in America. Secondly, Wilder has been at the top for the last 10 years. This is about sporting interest. In the big three, there were Joshua, Fury, and Wilder. I beat Joshua twice, I beat Fury twice, and one unbeaten one remains — Wilder, he said.
There are reports that San Francisco is planning a huge boxing event that could break attendance records, with up to 150,000 fans. YouTube is reportedly leading these plans. The event is part of the ‘Iconic’ series, which will include various events throughout the year from IVisit Boxing.
The promoters really want Usyk to be involved, even though the fight card isn't set yet. They're planning to turn San Francisco's Civic Centre Plaza into an open-air boxing arena, with the ring in front of City Hall. And good news for fans – most of the tickets will be free.
IVB chief Ed Pereira told the Mail: “We are open to working with all promoters, managers, content creators and fighters, so of course we’d be open to speaking to a boxer of that calibre. Who wouldn’t want Usyk on their card? It’s going to be more than just a fight. What attracted us to YouTube, and YouTube to us, was that commitment to cultural moments.
“It’s all about creating a cultural moment – a cultural moment in the city of San Francisco, a cultural moment in California, and a cultural moment for the world. Anybody can go and put a show on and just produce it live on their own YouTube channel… but we are doing the same as what the NFL did.
“This partnership with YouTube puts us in the next league. Boxing fans want to see the biggest fights, and they want to see the biggest fights on the biggest stages. But, ultimately, I want to make it accessible to the casual fan… and everyone has YouTube on their phones.”
THE ROAD TO THE RING: HOW TYSON FURY AND AJ FINALLY SIGNED THEIR CAREER-DEFINING CONTRACT
It is finally happening: Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua is a done deal. Learn more about the planned fight and AJ's upcoming July warm-up.
Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have agreed to fight in November, but it looks like both might squeeze in warm-up bouts before their big showdown.
Fury just got back in the ring earlier this month, outpointing Arslanbek Makhmudov in what was his first fight since losing a second time to Oleksandr Usyk in 202. At first, Fury said he’d only face Joshua next, but he’s starting to rethink that now that AJ officially signed on for their November fight.
Joshua’s set to fight Kristian Prenga in Saudi Arabia on July 25, and Fury might do something similar to stay sharp. Frank Warren, Fury’s promoter, told talkSPORT, “Tyson may want another fight to keep him ticking over; we’ll see. Tyson signed up for it months ago, but AJ’s on board now, so it’s happening. Looks like October. It’s a great fight, finally. The timing depends on venue availability.”
After beating Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Fury said he’d already signed the contract with Joshua. It got awkward after the decision. Fury grabbed the mic, called Joshua out, and tried to get him in the ring. Joshua just sat there, not moving, not saying a word.
Fury called Joshua’s reaction “a bit suspect, how he handled himself". Later, Joshua explained he wasn’t ready to say yes quite yet. He’d been in a nasty car crash in December that killed two close friends. Joshua said, “I was in a serious incident. There’s real stuff happening in my life. I’m not ducking anyone. Once I’m 100 per cent, I’ll fight.” His only fight in the last 19 months was a win over YouTuber Jake Paul.
Back then, Fury worried the fight might fall apart if Joshua decided to take a warm-up first. “He’s had his problems. We all have. God knows I’ve had problems myself. I’ve tried to kill myself before. So I get it. I’ve been up and down,” Fury said.
“I’ve been one step out of the mental institution. We’ve all got our troubles; that’s just life. If you’re in this game, you’re a boxer, or you’re not. The thing is, heavyweights can get knocked out by anybody. Even a journeyman can flatten a big name if they land the right shot.”
Fury made it clear he didn’t bring up Joshua during the build-up after his accident. “I gave him the space and respect he deserved. But he showed up today, and I asked him to step up for a fight. He should have come into the ring, but he didn’t answer. He didn’t want it. He didn’t even look like he wanted it. He just seemed stunned and didn’t know what to say.”
“Let’s get it on. For ten years, we’ve been circling each other. Still, there’s no guarantee this fight even happens next. Do I want it? Yes. But will it happen? Honestly, I have no idea.”
UNDISPUTED CHAMPION NAOYA INOUE CONFIRMS "READY STATE" AHEAD OF BLOCKBUSTER TOKYO DOME CLASH
A historic showdown: 32-0 champions Naoya Inoue and Junto Nakatani clash at the Tokyo Dome. Get the latest predictions and hype.
Everyone’s buzzing about the Naoya Inoue vs. Junto Nakatani showdown. It’s not just a big deal in Japan; it’s the kind of fight that’ll have the whole boxing world glued to their screens. They’re set to meet at the Tokyo Dome on May 2, and people are calling this the biggest fight in Japanese boxing history. You can feel the hype.
Both Inoue and Nakatani come in unbeaten, with matching records of 32–0. That alone turns this into something special. Inoue’s undisputed super bantamweight title is up for grabs, so the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Everyone’s got an opinion: fighters, experts, fans, and now the Moloney brothers from Australia have jumped in with their predictions. Jason Moloney knows what it’s like to face Inoue. Back in 2020, he shared the ring with him in Vegas and got stopped in the seventh. Jason respects Nakatani’s style; it’s awkward, rangy, and tricky to handle. He wonders how Inoue will crack that code but, honestly, he doesn’t see anyone beating Inoue right now. “As good as Nakatani is, I don’t think anyone can beat Inoue at the moment. I see Inoue winning the fight,” Jason said.
He talked about how Inoue’s just so well-rounded. Good at everything, no matter where the fight goes. Still, Jason pointed out Inoue’s willingness to trade his aggression makes him fun to watch, but it’s got him hurt in recent fights. Even so, Jason’s sticking to his prediction: Nakatani will have moments, but he’s backing Inoue.
Andrew Moloney fought Nakatani last year and went the distance. He sees Inoue as explosive ones with that snap in their movement and punches. Andrew respects Nakatani’s size, his speed, and his power but thinks Inoue’s footwork and explosiveness will be the difference. “Inoue’s explosiveness and foot speed will be the edge, closing the distance and letting go of those dynamite punches.”
Both Moloney brothers agree. Inoue’s got what it takes to win.
This fight’s not just about impressive records; it’s got two guys who’ve dominated their weight divisions. Inoue’s seen as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters right now. Nakatani’s got size, reach, and that unpredictable style, which could throw Inoue off. And since both men can finish a fight, expect real fireworks. This isn’t one to miss.
